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Role changes for Buff TE Geer
Midway through his junior season, Riar Geer appears to be a forgotten man in the Colorado passing game, at least when it comes to running routes and catching the ball.
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A player who should be an asset working the middle of the field and a big target for quarterback Cody Hawkins is instead staying in to shore up pass blocking with an inexperienced offensive line.
Geer missed the first two games of the year recovering from minor knee surgery but has played in the past four contests. He has only caught three balls for 29 yards and a touchdown.
Geer said the tight end position is not as crucial to the offense this season as it was last year. The Buffs were much more of a power running team in 2007 and used more two-tight end formations than they do this year in a more finesse approach.
Geer said his role has changed as the oldest and strongest tight end on the roster. He is needed to help in blocking, particularly in the wake of two injuries to starting offensive linemen.
"I still feel like I'm a big part of the offense," Geer said. "I feel like I catch a lot of balls in practice, but it's a lot different in practice than it is in games.
"I feel like I'm open at times, but it's not like you get the ball on every play. For sure, I'd like to get the ball more, but I'm just doing whatever I can to help the team."
Tight ends coach Kent Riddle said Geer is the best blocker he has among his group of tight ends. Junior Patrick Devenny has done well as a receiver and has taken over more of the pass-catching duties with true freshman Ryan Deehan also getting some throws. But coaches still would like to get the ball to Geer more often.
"We actually had a couple plays designed for Riar last week, and they grabbed him on one and kept him from getting out," Riddle said.
Coach Dan Hawkins said Geer's contributions don't stand out on the stat sheet this year as they have in the past, especially in 2006, when he was the team's leading receiver. But Hawkins said Geer has shown more maturity in fulfilling every assignment than he ever has in his career.
Snaps improved
There have been small areas of improvement this season for the struggling CU offense. One of them is the shotgun snap.
The Buffs had multiple fumbles and negative-yardage plays last year because of poor shotgun snaps. They spent the majority of practice time in the spring and summer working out of the shotgun to fix the problem.
The team has been operating under center much more than it did during spring and fall camps, but Hawkins said the plan never was to operate exclusively in the shotgun. Coaches simply wanted to have players become more proficient in executing from that formation.
Beatty back
Hawkins said it's good to have linebacker B.J. Beatty back in action after the sophomore missed part of training camp and much of the first half of the season with a hairline fracture in his leg.
Beatty played at Kansas last week and made an impact. Coaches believed Beatty would contribute much more this season coming out of spring ball when he was listed atop the depth chart at outside linebacker ahead of senior Brad Jones, who is having a solid senior season.
Notable
Redshirt freshman Eugene Goree returned to offensive line in practice Tuesday and continues to be groomed for playing time there this season. Read the Buffzone blog online for more on Goree's switch to offense. ... Hawkins refused to label Saturday's game as a must-win or a more significant game when it comes to the Buffs' postseason hopes than any other this season. "You're scrapping to improve, you're scrapping to have a better season than last year, you're scrapping to get a bowl game," he said. "It's all of those things. The mountain only gets steeper. People lamented us letting the Iowa State game get away from us last year, and then we were able to beat Nebraska. So they're all going to be that way."
Posted by montanabuff on October 15, 2008 at 6:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
While coachspeak will never label a game as a "must win", Kansas State really is. A four game losing streak, with a trip to Columbia next?
Anyone want to be 3-5, on a five game losing streak, needing three wins in four games to become bowl eligible?
Me, neither.
A good crowd. A night game. A porous opposition defense.
It's time for a breakout game.
Go Buffs!
http://www.cuatthegame.com
Posted by vkberlinn on October 15, 2008 at 6:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
from the mouths of the buffs. Sometimes the truth just slips right on out
"I still feel like I'm a big part of the offense," Geer said. "I feel like I catch a lot of balls in practice, but it's a lot different in practice than it is in games."
Exactly practice what you are not going to do.
"I feel like I'm open at times, but it's not like you get the ball on every play. For sure, I'd like to get the ball more, but I'm just doing whatever I can to help the team."
Exactly
"We actually had a couple plays designed for Riar last week, and they grabbed him on one and kept him from getting out," Riddle said.
A couple? More OC jokster crap
There is not an offense. Crappy plan, crappy exectuion and on and on. There is none period.
H needs to go the way of watson.. send him to the scarlet and cream.
Posted by bouldabuff on October 15, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Very much agreed montana - when can we expect the latest installment of TIPS?
Posted by mifrfi on October 15, 2008 at 9:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Agreed Montana, we have to win this game or it becomes a loong season. Love the site also, keep up the good work!
For those who think a better performance on the ground will give a huge boost to our offense (including our passing game and everything to do with Cody's situation, etc)K-state may be just the elixor we need. The Wildcats are very poor against the run and the stats have come against less than steller competition.
With the exception of pretty much no pass rush, I have been pleased with how the defense is playing this year. With the offense going three and out consistantly The 'D' has kept us in the game against the third toughest schedule in the nation until late in the game. If the offense can get some production and give these guys some rest with something to be fired up about I think the 'D' will shine.
Lets suppose hypothetically that The Buffs prevail against K-State this weekend and Mizzou loses to Texas (a plausible scenario in my view). The Tigers will be on a two game losing streak which could keep them from being in quite the "zone" they can be in. Add to that they don't have nearly the defense that the Buffs have faced recently and I think our boys COULD have a chance in that game. Knock off the Tigers and we have a shot at the North title (Kansas plays Texas and Oklahoma as well as Mizzou).
Dare to dream Buff fans?
Posted by cubuff85 on October 15, 2008 at 9:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Mifrfi,
At this point in the season, let's stick to the old adage, "One game at a time." When we beat K-State, then I will start the dream sequence. GO BUFFS!!!
Posted by mifrfi on October 15, 2008 at 10:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
ok cubuff85, I can agree with that. Too bad all the doom and gloom naysayers don't do the same.
Posted by roamingbuff on October 15, 2008 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Since when did CU have a "power running game in 2007"? That was a power running game? Geeze I missed seeing that. I thought Chris Brown and Bobby Purify were more of a power running game than Hugh Charles and Sumler.
Maybe CU should do what people have been calling for - and add that tight end back into the mix like it was last year. Seems the blocking scheme Geer was talking about would not only got him more involved in the game - but would also benefit our running backs - i.e Darrell Scott.
Heck - Cody could use a nice big target over the middle like Geer used to be.
Posted by nolanjp on October 15, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
it is not the fact that Geer isn't open, its the fact that Cody can't hit him or seem him. It is funny that this article states the offense is improving, in shot-gun snaps. hot dog!! were back
Posted by roamingbuff on October 15, 2008 at 10:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh ya - like those three wide open guys a couple of weeks ago he totally missed. Oh - sorry - there I go again - ripping on Cody. I forgot - it's the O-line's fault he missed those guys by a mile. No way Ballenger would have been able to connect with them either. He's too young for that.
Posted by bouldabuff on October 15, 2008 at 11:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I am glad you noticed that too roamingbuff -- the 2007 power running team???? It usually consisted of Hugh Charles running hard....laterally and Cody power running for his life.
I-form was used a lot in 2007 because it was a simple formation for a very young team not because we had a hard-up-the-middle run game.
I have been impressed with Ballenger this year because he steps up in the pocket when he is under pressure so if he does go down it's a loss of 2 or 3, not 10. I still think Cody is the man for the job in 2008 - I liked the designed runs against KU and a very talented LB corps. More designed runs for Cody!!! More screens and dump-offs!!
Posted by roamingbuff on October 15, 2008 at 11:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Boulda - Thank you for noticing how Ballenger steps INTO the pocket. Thank you! I posted the exact same thing a day or two ago. And when he did it - he was sometimes able to complete a short pass without it being batted down.
And another thing - last year the Buffs ran a sweep play - that for lack of a specific name I'll call student body left or right. They brought somebody in motion - snapped the ball about the time he got to the QB - did a quick hand off - meantime, the guard had pulled and the backs and tight ends all headed for the corner. It was simple math. The Buffs had more "hats" over there than the opponent. Put a 'hat' on a 'hat'- and that meant everybody was blocked. Let the back find a seam - and the Buffs picked up good yards on that play. I watched some of my recordings from last year and noticed that play. Seems we don't run that one anymore. Seems perfect for either Stewart and/or Scott. It lets them pick the hole and go for it.
And if the players and coaches admit that last year we ran a more simplified offense (as mentioned in the above article) - and if the coaches admit that we are down to less than experienced players after all the injuries - then why continue with the more 'finness/ complicated' game plan? Go back to some of the things that helped a young team last year.
Posted by lobobuff on October 15, 2008 at 9:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Still looks like Ballenger is being given playing time only to be better able to step in should CH become unable to play. If he was being groomed to start, he should be getting in for a few series when the game is still in doubt rather than in mop-up duty. Looks like Coach Hawkins and Helfrich are still "all in" that CH is the winning hand. If Cody's sophomore funk continues this Saturday against a known soft defense, then no more excuses about youth, inexperience, depleted OL, etc.
Man up Buffs! Get physical and womp the Mildcats.
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